Book 1: 《學而》 Xue Er (Studying)
《學而》 Passage 1.5
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons."Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 the Master (Confucius), honorific title
- 曰 said, spoke
- 道 dǎo
to guide, lead, govern (a state)
Ames & Rosemont reads it nominally ('the way') rather than verbally; the verbal reading (to guide/lead) is standard here.
- 千乘 qiān shèng
a thousand chariots, denoting a mid-sized state's military strength
- 千 thousand
- 乘 chariot, unit of chariot-based military strength
- 之 zhī
attributive/genitive particle: of
- 國 guó
state, country
- 敬 jìng
reverent, respectful, conscientious
- 事 shì
affairs, duties, business (of state)
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and
- 信 xìn
trustworthy, to keep one's word
- 節用 jié yòng
frugal in expenditure, economical in use of resources
- 節 to moderate, be economical, restrain
- 用 use, expenditure (of resources)
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and
- 愛 ài
to love, cherish, care for
- 人 rén
people, others
- 使 shǐ
to employ, deploy, put to work
- 民 mín
the common people, subjects
- 以 yǐ
preposition: at, according to (introducing time)
- 時 shí
(proper) time, season
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